Key Voices

How Crazy is the Tea Party? This Crazy

This is absolutely nuts. Nine members of the Wisconsin legislature are actually backing legislation that would throw federal officials in jail if they try to implement the health care reform law in that state. All are backed by the Tea Party and were responding to a question from one of those groups in doing so:

As Gov. Scott Walker contemplates whether to create a state health care exchange under Obamacare, he will have to contend in the coming legislative session with nine lawmakers who have said they back a bill to arrest any federal officials who try to implement the health care law…

Rep. Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield) is one of the nine from Wisconsin who told the Campaign for Liberty he would back legislation to declare Obamacare illegal and allow police to arrest federal officials who take steps to implement it in Wisconsin. He said he believes the health care law is unconstitutional, despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that it passes constitutional muster.

“Just because Obama was re-elected does not mean he’s above the constitution,” Kapenga said.

In addition to Kapenga, those listed as supporting the Campaign for Liberty’s positions are Sen. Mary Lazich of New Berlin; Reps. Don Pridemore of Hartford; Erik Severson of Star Prairie; Tom Larson of Colfax; Scott Krug of Wisconsin Rapids; and three Republicans elected for the first time last week who will be sworn in early next year – Rob Hutton of Brookfield, Mark Born of Beaver Dam and Dave Murphy of Greenville.

The courts would never allow this, of course, but the mere fact that they would support it makes them unfit for any office.

Eat too much cheese and you get so constipated that the feces back up all the way too your head and squeezes the brain you were born with right out your ears.

Leaving you with, that’s right, shit for brains.

pipenta

to your head, not too your head.

I must have pushed tooooo long on the o key.

jeremydiamond

He said he believes the health care law is unconstitutional, despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that it passes constitutional muster.

Area NanLegislator Passionate Defender Of What He Imagines Constitution To Be

Do these people not understand that, barring an amendment, the Supreme Court gets the last word on constitutionality?

rory

We wouldn’t want anyone thinking they’re above the constitution. You might end up with idiotic right-wing yokels who refuse to accept Supreme Court rulings.

marcus

There are many things that I disagree with the Supreme Court about (they don’t seem particularly concerned). It is absolutely incredible to me that a sitting legislator does not know that if the Supreme Court declares something to be constitutional then it is by definition “constitutional”. It may still discriminate against what we believe are both civil and human rights, it may even be wrong by any basis of objective morality, but it will be constitutional.

http://composer99.blogspot.ca composer99

Surely, shelling Fort McCoy is the logical next step.

Michael Heath

[ Rep. Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield)] said he believes the health care law is unconstitutional, despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that it passes constitutional muster.

“Just because Obama was re-elected does not mean he’s above the constitution,” Kapenga said.

This wingnut should be nominated for the Bryan Fischer psychological projection award.

http://www.facebook.com/paul.coyne.5205 Paul

I’d say it’s time to institute the Death Panels that they were so worried about!

anubisprime

All the rethugs are all acting like kiddies in the schoolyard that don’t get their way.

Mind you someone must have voted them in, and those fools should be so ashamed of themselves and barred from any further ‘grown-up’ elections!

These cretins are a laughing stock.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=597316935 ashleybell

How would they even recognize it? The version of it they have in their heads is nothing like the real thing.

Ben P

Do these people not understand that, barring an amendment, the Supreme Court gets the last word on constitutionality?

It is absolutely incredible to me that a sitting legislator does not know that if the Supreme Court declares something to be constitutional then it is by definition “constitutional”. It may still discriminate against what we believe are both civil and human rights, it may even be wrong by any basis of objective morality, but it will be constitutional.

Actually, you’d be surpised how many otherwise sane conservatives reject the premise of judicial review. At least as it pertains to rulings they don’t like.

Granted, most of these people aren’t Coke or Blackstone, or even Marshall or Holmes, so don’t expect a cogent explanation of judicial theory. Usually it’s a variation of “can’t you damn lawyers read? its right there in the constitution that you can’t do this!”

John Horstman

Actually, our state Supreme Court is presently dominated by right-wing nutjobs as well, so they may allow it. I would be thrilled if they actually passed this law, only to be brought up on federal charges – fastest way to return our legislature to the control of people with a reality-based worldview.

John Hinkle

Wow, this is nuts.

There’s only one thing to do now. Yep, Chicago is going to have to declare Wisconsin to be its new northern territory.

Hey, if they can just declare stuff, so can we.

F

Actually, you’d be surpised how many otherwise sane conservatives reject the premise of judicial review.

Of course. It’s up to their own personal review, as always, and said review is to be accepted by everyone else.

“Just because Obama was re-elected does not mean he’s above the constitution,” Kapenga said.

No one ever thought one means the other. However, Obama and Bush, for example, are certainly creative in interpreting the Constitution and the law, along with the rest of the gov. But not in any areas in which much of anyone is interested. (Bipartisanship, hooray.)

Larry

In their alternate reality country of Teabagistan, each individual is granted supreme authority to state what is and what isn’t lawful and constitutional. As you might imagine, pulling up to a 4-way stop sign and deciding who has the right of way results in a lot of 4-way collisions.

Nepenthe

Where’s only one thing to do now. Yep, Chicago is going to have to declare Wisconsin to be its new northern territory.

Notes for planning your invasion: while you may have us beat on handguns, rifles are more effective at distance.

Chiroptera

John Horstman, #12:Actually, our state Supreme Court is presently dominated by right-wing nutjobs as well, so they may allow it.

Boy, that would set us up for another…Fr. Sumter moment, won’t it?

http://festeringscabofrealityblogspot.com fifthdentist

Just because state Rep. Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield) was elected doesn’t mean he’s not a child molester. Do we want child molesters making laws in Wisconsin?

Wheeeeeeee, wingnut “logic” is fun! Just like a ride in which you’re rapidly sliding down a slippery slope at Mach speed.

baal

@#8 Paul

Friends don’t let friends use violent rhetoric.

These asshats don’t belong in office but they don’t belong as targets of a death panel review.

http://www.gregory-gadow.net Gregory in Seattle

Is it treason yet?

Loqi

Oh boy. I’m originally from Star Prairie. I feel so proud right now.

Loqi

And I’m related to some Seversons by marriage. Hopefully not this one (though the town is like 300 people, so that’s probably wishful thinking).

caseloweraz

“Rep. Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield) is one of the nine from Wisconsin who told the Campaign for Liberty he would back legislation to declare Obamacare illegal…”

Kapenga? That sounds like an African name. Let’s see his birth certificate!

caseloweraz

Quite aside from its absurd illegality, I fail to see how they would implement this. Did they anticipate sending Wisconsin state troopers into Washington, DC to take the said federal officials into custody?

Stevarious, Public Health Problem

Where’s only one thing to do now. Yep, Chicago is going to have to declare Wisconsin to be its new northern territory.

Notes for planning your invasion: while you may have us beat on handguns, rifles are more effective at distance.

Invasion? Don’t be silly. They already own Wisconsin because they declared it! No invasion is necessary, saying it makes it so.

coleopteron

Boy, it’s too bad for the federal government if these legislators have their way. Their agents will be arrested and held unlawfully for doing their jobs regarding the provision of health insurance for all.

*sigh*

It’s too bad for the U.S. Government that they don’t have a large group of people with armaments and heavy equipment that could secure their captive agents and arrest those legislators for treason or some such thing. One or more “armed forces” if you will.

Sadly, as far as I know no such thing exists.

Stevarious, Public Health Problem

It’s too bad for the U.S. Government that they don’t have a large group of people with armaments and heavy equipment that could secure their captive agents and arrest those legislators for treason or some such thing. One or more “armed forces” if you will.

Sadly, as far as I know no such thing exists.

Well, as we all know, the Constitution very clearly establishes that only the states are allowed to create military forces.

That’s why it’s historically been so difficult for poor America to invade any other countries. It’s like herding cats, trying to get 50 vastly different states to march 50 different, completely unrelated armies in the same direction!

http://polrant@blogspot.com democommie

And people wonder, seriously, why I call idiots like these, “braindead fuckwits”.

@ #19 Baal – first of all the “Death Panels” were purely a figment of the feverish mental “workings” of the tea party apparatchiks – they don’t exist. They never were going to. So I can hardly be accused of making death threats.

Secondly – have you heard of irony?

slc1

Re sailor1031 @ #29

Virginia slowly turning blue is due to the fact that a percentage of the state’s population that resides in Northern Virginia has been slowly increasing over the years. Northern Virginia turned blue some 30 years ago.

Stevarious, Public Health Problem

@#30 Paul –

Don’t forget the death panel that some “fiscal conservatives” want to set up: The intake nurse at the hospital, who asks “Do you have insurance?”